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Forest officials are investigating the death of a radio-collared leopard in Sanjay Gandhi National Park after post-mortem findings indicated severe blood loss and a suspicious neck injury. The authorities are examining the possibility of foul play in what was initially thought to be a routine wildlife death.

What officials know so far

1 leopard Adult male rescued from the Bhayandar housing area
>> Released: Dec 25, 2025
>> Found dead: Feb 3, 2026
>> Time in wild after release: About 40 days
>> Tracking: radio collar functional till recovery

No signs of poaching

Forest officials confirmed:
>> Whiskers intact
>> Teeth intact
>> Nails and claws intact
>> No body parts missing
This suggests the animal was not targeted for wildlife trade

Suspicious injury found

Officials said a wound near the leopard’s neck was not caused by the radio collar. “We are examining every angle and may seek police assistance. The injury suggests another factor may be involved,” a forest official said

Post-mortem revelation

Tentative cause of death: Hypovolemic shock 
What this means
Gross lesions: Visible injuries seen during examination
Hypovolemic shock: Severe blood or fluid loss leading to organ failure and death

Tracking data

>> The collar transmitted information normally till death
>> Signal gaps recorded earlier were routine
>> Dense forest cover often disrupts signals temporarily
>> Officials say the collar itself did not contribute to the death

Bhayandar leopard case

Dec 19, 2025 Leopard rescued from a Bhayandar residence
Dec 25, 2025 Radio-collared and released in the Nagla zone, Yeoor
Dec 25 to Jan 2026 Movement within forest limits appeared healthy
Feb 3, 2026 Mortality signal received, carcass recovered
Feb 4, 2026 Post-mortem conducted, samples sent to the lab

Feb 3, 2026
Day leopard was found dead